Bahrain Mirror (AFP): The fight between the Arab quartet and Qatar took a new twist on Friday as three Middle Eastern countries asked the UN's top court to resolve a dispute with Doha over sovereign airspace.

Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday requested the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to quash a decision in Qatar's favour, handed down by the UN's global civil aviation body.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) last week ruled it had the jurisdiction to determine a dispute brought by Qatar, accusing its neighbours of violating an agreement that regulates the free passage of passenger planes through foreign airspace.

The three countries now want the Hague-based court to nullify the ruling by ICAO, saying its decision was "manifestly flawed and in violation of fundamental principles of due process and the right to be heard."

"The ICAO council is not competent to adjudicate", the countries said in papers filed before the ICJ.

They sought a declaration that the ICAO's decision is "null and void and without effect."

Arabic Version